When we asked TTAC’s Best And Brightest whether Chevy should stick with the “Aveo” nameplate for its new subcompact offering or move in a new direction, only a few seemed to believe that “Aveo” carries much equity at this point. But then, it’s not like Chevy has a lot of small-car “heritage” to draw on… Sprint, Vega, Monza and Citation all have their obvious limitations. The B&B’s debate was typically dynamic, but it seems that this discussion has gone back and forth at the RenCen as well. GMI reports:

GM has struggled with the Aveo’s name for the last two years. According to sources former U.S. marketing chief Mark LaNeve originally wanted to rename the Aveo to “Viva.” Then–following GM’s bankruptcy filing last year–Bob Lutz ordered the Aveo name to stay put…

The lackluster image of the current Aveo has left GM’s new marketing chief, Joel Ewanick, to conclude that the car needs to be renamed. Although GM has not formally announced the new name, GMI sources are stating that GM has signed off on the name “Chevrolet Sonic.”

According to U.S. Trademark records General Motors LLC filed for a trademark on the name “Chevrolet Sonic” on October 5th.

Name equity doesn’t just spring into being. It’s built over time. A new name won’t mean a thing if they don’t stick with it and show a pattern of improvement and ongoing development. Sonic might be better than Aveo (I think it is at least) but it can turn to crap the same way that any other compact Chevy name has.

If the Aveo had a great reputation they should keep the name. But it doesn’t. A new name will help folks to realize that it’s a new car. I’d go Monza, most people have forgotten about the original, and with a six or V8 they weren’t that bad. But really, anything other than Aveo is good.

What does it say about a company when it needs to change the name of a product repeatedly in order to keep folks buying it? Whose fault is it that Chevrolet is unable to use it’s 50 year heritage of manufacturing small cars because they have been building 50 years of bad small cars? Who are they to complain about finding buyers of these small lemons?

GM could change the name of the Chevy Aveo to Honda Fit and it wouldn’t sell. The car is cheap and dumpy and looks like an embarrassment regardless of it’s name. Sonic? Please! The problem is the car, not the name. The problem is the company, not the name. The problem is the history of small Chevys over the past half century, not the name.

You have to believe that your buyers are morons if you do things like this to your products. Any marketer claiming that they are being held back due to the name of the product, just isn’t trying to promote the product.

You could call the Aveo whatever name other bloggers believe would help sales and fix this car’s image – but the problem isn’t the name.

Bancho’s got it right.
If they suck it up, accept the fact that the previous generations weren’t great, but stick with the name and show steady improvement in the vehicle using that name, they could establish real brand equity.
Throwing a new name at it can get them past the tarnish quicker, but it won’t get them as highly regarded as if they achieved it the hard way.
Accord, Civic, and Corolla earned their equity. Camry replaced the Corona, so they may have cheated a little on that, but it was a long, long time ago. Altima doesn’t have the same name equity, but it’s debatable how much of that is due to the car and how much is from switching out from the Stanza name.

I suppose they all hope that the first use of a name starts with moderate success, which would make it easier to build on that equity. That can go two directions: Gran Prix or 3-Series.

I do wish they would focus more on the cars and the customers than on the marketing and the sales pitch.

In naming the car, DeLorean said: “Studies were conducted by the division showing one name stood out – Gemini. When pronounced it almost said “G-M-ini. Marketing studies notwithstanding, Ed Cole liked the name Vega and so did top corporate management, who disregarded our test results.”

Nova isn’t bad. “Nomad” is a name Chevy didn’t destroy. Same with “Corsa”.